Steamed Mussels in Tomato Broth

Description:

With fresh mussels increasingly available at supermarket fish counters, you can easily make this bistro favorite at home.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded (see Tip)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1

Warm oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase the heat to high and stir for 1 minute more. Pour in wine and bring to a boil.

2

Add mussels, cover and steam, occasionally giving the pan a vigorous shake, until all the mussels have opened, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl. Spoon the broth over the mussels and sprinkle with parsley.

Tips:

Tip: To clean mussels, scrub them with a stiff brush under cold running water. Scrape off any barnacles using the shell of another mussel. Just before cooking, pull off the “beard” from each one. Discard any mussels with broken shells or any that do not close when tapped.